Spring suspension for road-vehicles.



G. F. VOHBHT.

SPRING SUSPENSION FOR ROAD VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19, I917.

mama May 28,1918.

tiisrrn srariis Parana orricn GEORGE F. VOIGHT, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

SPRING SUSZEI lSION FOB, ROAD-VEHICLES.

1 21} Lfifig) Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 3.9, 1917.

To all? tiw'm it may concern:

Be, it. known that I, Grocer: l Velour, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and useful Spring Suspension for Roadl 'ehicles, of which tho'following is a specification.

My invention relates to :1V spring suspension for road vehicles in which an auxiliary spring operates in conjunction with a principal leaf spring.

An object of n invention is to provide an auxiliary spring for assisting the principal leaf spring to cushion the vehicle against the uueveuncss'of the road; another object'being to provide such an auxiliary spring and a connecting means between it and one end of the principal leaf spring whereby the former spring yieldingly and movably supportsthe latter spring and at the same time permits only a limited endwise'inovement, or end-wise swaying, of the principal spring, and also to eliminate all sliding bearings for guiding said connecting means in its upward and downward movements with the upward and downward movements of the auxiliary sprin With the foregoing and other objects in view which ill appear the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of whatis claimed without do parting from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a rear end elevation of the right-hand side of an automobile, and a rear side view of my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a vertical rear side sectional view ofe portion of the invention detached from the vehicle.

, Fig. 3 is a top view of the invention, cer tain parts being removed and a portion being shown in section, the view also showing a portion of the principal leaf spring of the vehicle. a

i is a vertical rear side sectional-view oi the invention in amodified Iorm, a port-ion being broken away, this figure also Iatentedllllay 28, 1918. Serial No. 155,778.

shows a sectional side view of a portion of the principal leaf spring.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings,

1 designates the body, 2 the frame, 3 the principal leaf spring, et the spring shackle, 5 the axle housing, (3 the axle housing flange, 7 the axle, 8 the wheel, and 9 the brake drum, of an automobile. (The axle housing 5, flange 8 and the axle 7, assembled as shown in Fig. 1, will be referred to from time to time in the claims as the axle-assembly).

l0 designates an oscillatory lever having an outer enlargi-id circular section 11, an in termediate section 12, and an inner arm section Upon the low cr side of the enlarged section 12 adjacent its periphery, are disposed two depending ears 14:, which are provided with suitable transverse openings 15, which openings register with an opening extending through the upper end of a supporting bracket 16,.into which openings is fitted a suitable pivot bolt 17. The bracket has a lower outwardly extending threaded portion l7 fitted into a suitable horizontal opening in the flange (3, to which flange the bracket is rigidly secured. The enlarged section ll overhang the outer end of the principal leaf spring, while the inner arm section 18 is bent to one side of the spring so as to be free-to move upward and downward alongside of the principal leaf sprino'. The inner end of the lever is supported by the main body portion of the automobile, by means of a connecting rod 18,, which rod 19 at its lower end hooking with the eye 20 at the innerend of the arm 13, while the upper end of the rod 18 is formed into a kind of yoke, whichiyoke straddles a portion of the frame 2 from the upper s de thereof. The lower end of the connecting rod 18 has a transverse oscillatory movementrelative to the frame 2, so as to permit of a certain transverse swaying; or movement of the autohas a hook-eye and the intermediate section 12,

mobile body relative to the lever 10. The

vertically through the intermediate section 12. The inner end of the section 12, at the cod oftlic slot 22, is provided with a horiopening 29 for the longitudinal opening in zoniai opening fitted. with e pine: bolt Theupper side of the eniergedseotion 11, is provided with an annular upstanding rim es adjacent, its periphery, which forms a sees for a spiral auxiliary spring 25. A portion of the rim 24 is out away by the slot into the opening 21 and the slot 223s disposed a spring hanger 26 whiehhenger hes a radius arm 27 ha ving. its free end pivotedigr eonneoteefsto the lever 10 by means of the pivot boltlY, e main'seccion 28 provided with an the reception oi? the upper pivot pin30 of e conventional spring shackle 4, the lower end of the shackle being pivotedly connected to the outer end of the principal leaf springby means of the pin 32 engaging an eye in said end of the spring, and an upstanding section extend ing vertieeily into the iongitndinel opening jthrough the spiral spring The upner end of the upstanding section is threaded. and fitted with e not Seated upon the upper end of'the spiral spring is a washer 36 nrovided with eentielqopening for the reception of auxiliary spirei spring of the prinlever 10, are disposed two opoositeiy Efitfinfl:

ing trunnionsv 37 enge-geebie .wiish V the lower side of the leverlG for lnnitingihe upward movementof the hanger, and upon. the said sides, but above said portions of the iever, are two oppositely clisposedirnnnions 38 engageablewith the upnerside of the lever 10 for limiting the downward movement of the hanger;

In the, modification shown in Fig. 4, the upstanding section 3%? is relatively shortand formed with an eye 39, and the upper end of the spring the said spring forming a connecting shaft iO the lower end of which shaft is provided with a hookeye 41, which hook-eye is coupled up with theleye 4 2 in the upstanding section 34.

' It is to be understood that I do not desire to strictly, limit myself to the periienler kind of connection between the inner end of the lever and the vehieie frame, shown in. my drewings, nor as to the periionlez point of connect-ion with the vehicle; end

so desired; the eonneetion een he modeloWer pivot V A the said threaded end of the upstanding section 3e.

,theconneohon i and the s. Q

26 can be either raises or 25?,is turned downwardly into 1 4 v i tween the nner end. or the ieverenci e suii" able portion of the principal leaf spring a suitable distanee mwnrdly from its end,

1. in s device of the nature described, lever, e spring hangers heving one end givoteliy supported by the lever, the free oil said heno'er hein rwiiientiv so, orted o s E: r J P 5 And it is to:

by an auxiliary spring eerried by thele er and a connection between send iree end 0?: said. hanger iee'f "2. is a device of the nature described, e

ring hanger having one end eon- 93o ihe iever, tie end iiie ger being 2?- euztiiiery s orin'g ends oerried by the lever lee dv a connection hem e e free end of e rinoipei l 3. in e, of levee, e, spring hanger having one end jointed to she ieveri, spring seated upon the lever its ends, the free end of tie supported by said springend between tiie'hengei" one end of the prineipel lesi spring e. In e; devise of the minute lever, s soring hanger having" one end piv eiiy sn peorted ioy the lever,

n seated upon the lever inner" its ends, eonneeeion. between the nd. of said hen 'er end the npner or I eriion of seid spring so shes the ieiter spring may resiiieniiy support free end of sold hanger, and e eonneo'eion between intermediate hanger being; a connection and one end'oi the orineipni nisntly snpporied h send, one end o.

by. 1 w his nature desemhech e e spired compression e spirel. coinadjacent its free endend described said hanger odjeceni; its free end end one end oithe yiincipei ieef spring.

o. in a device of the notnredeserihed, a lever, a spring hanger, a connection between oneend of said hanger and the lever, a spiral,

compression spring seated-upon the lever in termediete its ends, e connection between the other end of said so shat said instmen bioned endof said hanger may move tension of said spring,

downward against the and a connection he;

hanger and said spring tween said second mensioned end-"oi lee-id hanger and one V sexing.

6; in s.

end or the principal leaf ever l l I i I a mg an upstanding arm adJacent 1ts free end,

a connection between said upstanding arm and said spring, the'arran. ement being such that said free end of said ianger may move downward against the tension of said spring, and a connection between said free end of said hanger and one end of the principal leaf spring. v 7. In a device ofthe nature described,'a lever, a spring hanger, a connection between one end of said hanger and the lever, a spiral spring carried by the lever intermediate its ends, said hanger having an upstanding arm adjacent its free end, a connection between said upstanding arm and said spiral spring, the arrangement being such'that said free end of said hanger may be moved clownward against the tension of said spiral spring, and a connection between said hanger adjacent its free end and one end of the principal leaf spring;

. 8. In a device of the character described, an oscillatory lever having one end pivotally supported by the axle assembly, a support vertically movable relative to the axle as sembly, a connection between the free end of the lever and said support, a spiral compression spring seated upon the lever, a spring hanger having one end pivotally sup ported by the lever and its free end resiliently supported by said spiral spring, and a connection between said hanger and one end of the principal leaf spring.

9. lna device of the character described, an. oscillatory lever having one end pivotally supported by theaxle assembly, a support vertically movable relative to the axle assembly, a connection between the free end of the lever and said support, a spring hanger having one end supported by said lever, a spiral compression spring seated upon the lever, a connection between the free end of said hanger and saidcompr'ession spring so that said free end of'said hanger can be moved downwardly against the tension of said compression spring, and a connection be tween said hanger and one end of the principal leaf spring.

10. in a device of the nature described, a lever, an auxiliary spring carried by the lever intermediate its ends, a spring hanger having one section pivotally supported and "iavingits free section resiliently supported 0y said auxiliary spring, and a con ection between said hanger and one end of the principal leaf s n-lug.

11. The combination with the body, principal leaf spring and the axle assembly of a road vehicle, of an oscillatory 'lever pivoted at one end to the axle assembly, a support vertically movable relative to said axle assembly, a connecltion between the free end of the leve and said support, a spring seated upon the lever intermediate its ends, a spring hanger, a. connection between one end of saidhanger and the lever, a connection between the free end of said hanger and said spring, the arrangement being such that said free end of said hanger castemoved downward against the tensioribf 6 said spring, and a connection between; the" free end of said hanger and one end of-"the f principal leaf spring, said principah-l'eaf" spring supporting the body of the vehicle? 12. The combination with the body, principal leaf spring and the axle assembly of a road vehicle, of an oscillatory lever pivoted at one end to the axle assembly, a connection between the free end of the lever and the body of the vehicle, a spiral com" pression spring seated upon'the lever intermediate its ends, a spring hanger, a con nection' between one end of said hanger and said lever, a connection between the free end of the hanger and said compression spring, and a connection between one end of the principal leaf spring and said hanger adjacent its free end, the arrangement be ing such that said hanger and said cornpression spring may resiliently support said end of said principal leaf spring.

13. In a spring suspension for road vehicles, an oscillatory lever pivoted at one end to the axle assembly, a support vertically movable relative to the axleassembly, a connection between the free end of the lever and said support, spiral compression spring seated upon the lever, a spring hanger, a connection between one endof said hanger and said lever, a connection be tween the free end of said hanger and said spring, the arrangement. being such that said free end of said hanger may move downward by compressing said spring. A

14. In a spring suspension for road vehicles, an oscillatory lever pivoted at oneend to the axle assembly, a, vertically movable support for the other end of the lever,

a spring hanger, a nonresilient connection between one end of said hanger and said lever and a resilient connection between the other end of said hanger and the lever, and

- a connection between one end of the principal leaf spring and said hanger.

15. In a spring suspension for road vehicles, an oscillatory lever pivoted at one endto the axle assembly, a vertically movable support for the other end of the lever,

a spring hanger, a nonresilient connection between. one end of the hanger and said 129 lever, a resilient connection between the other end of the hanger and the lever, and a connection between one end of the prin-' cipal leaf spring and said hanger adjacent its resiliently supported end, the arrangement being such that said hanger may resiliently support said end of said principal leaf spring.

Hi. In a spring suspension for road vehicles, an oscillatory lever pivoted at one 130 5 nonreszlient connecfion between me enci of the hanger andthe level, a resiliem cennecmon between the free and m the hanger mwma am} .qaid lever, s aixi resilient connecfiipn (am-f" b Qymg a compression "spring earned by the lever, and a connection between one end 10 of the principal leaf spring and said hanger aiijacent the free end of the latter.

I GEQRGE VOIGHT. 

